Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes and Scientology

Unless you have been living under a rock most likely you have heard about the epic split (third such epic split for Tom Cruise) between Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes.  Many of the accounts suggest that at the heart of their failed marriage, is Cruise's religion, Scientology, and how it was going to effect their daughter.  Now I am not an expert on Scientology, I have studied it from time to time and spoken with some members of the religion, but I am yet to hear many positive comments about this faith.  Now all religions, faiths and sects have skeletons in their respective closets (for example the anti-semetic comments of Martin Luther that we have dealt with in the Lutheran church) but I am yet to hear a leader in the church of Scientology speak out about their skeletons and how they are working to become a better group.  Instead if anyone speaks out against the church they are threatened with lawsuits upon lawsuits.  

Now this entry is not so much about Scientology but more about how we as a society (Christian and non-Christian) should respond to something, if it seems to be unhealthy for the general public and for those who are involved.  For example: you don't hear many people speaking well of the Westboro Baptist Church.  Anyone who is going to protest the funerals of soldiers who have been killed in combat could quite possibly be the devil's henchmen.  Or polygamist Mormon groups that force pre-teen girls into marriage with men in their 40s.  No one is marching down main street saying, "this is how we should live," or, "these folks have it together."  No, we call these groups out for what they are, expose them and protect the victims.  

At the same time, there is a fine line here.  We can't just go out and condemn anyone who is different from us.  We can't destroy their credibility just because we don't like them.  But, again, at the same time, have we become so politically correct that we don't call out and expose those individuals who are more than a little off?  Do we infiltrate those communities and protect the victims or do we toe that politically correct line and do nothing?  I fear that too often we err on the "do nothing side" but I am eager to hear what you think.  Should we be doing more to expose these groups or is that not our place.

Tell me what you think.

Chris